Have your say

Fisheries New Zealand is seeking your views on management measures for the Northland spiny rock lobster fishery (CRA 1) to better manage the impact of fishing on urchin barren formation.

The feedback from this engagement will inform the Minister of Oceans and Fisheries of the most appropriate measures to progress.

About urchin barrens

Urchin barrens are areas of rocky reef that are dominated by sea urchins. The areas would normally support healthy kelp forests but have little or no kelp due to overgrazing by sea urchins. This leads to a barren seafloor with a loss of habitat and biodiversity, impacting the overall health of coastal environments. Urchin barrens are prevalent in northeastern New Zealand and pose significant ecological risks as they expand, leading to the degradation of marine ecosystems.

What is being proposed?

The management measures being considered include non-regulated measures implemented by the rock lobster industry, namely voluntary harvest limits and voluntary area/seasonal closures for 2024-25.

Regulatory measures being considered are:

•    Subdivision of the CRA 1 Quota Management Area.

•    Adjustments to legal size requirements.

•    Area and/or seasonal closures.

•    Accumulation and/or vessel limits for recreational rock lobster fishing.

•    measures to reduce recreational fishing pressure on the packhorse rock lobster (Sagmariasus verreauxi).

These proposals are part of Fisheries New Zealand’s integrated management approach to help address urchin barrens. This approach encompasses a suite of management initiatives aimed at restoring kelp forests and mitigating the adverse effects of urchin barrens. These measures follow the implementation of a range of tools to facilitate the removal of urchins.

Management measures that increase the abundance and size of urchin predators (including rock lobster and snapper) are needed to support kelp forest recovery in existing barrens and to prevent the formation of new urchin barrens.

These proposals follow on from the 2023 sustainability review of CRA 1 in which the Minister reduced the catch settings. The 2023 sustainability review was in response to a 2022 High Court Judgment (linked below), and has been subject to further Judicial Review.

For more information and details on how to make a submission, click here.

-  Ministry for Primary Industries